Thomas Jefferson to James Madison and James Breckinridge, 16 February 1823
To James Madison and James Breckinridge
Monticello Feb. 16 —23
Dear Sir.
You already know that the legislature has authorised the literary board to lend us another 60,000 D. it is necessary we should act on this immediately so far as to accept the loan, that we may engage our workmen before they enter into other undertakings for the season. but the badness of the roads, the uncertainty of the weather and the personal inconvenience of a journey to the members of our board, render a speedy meeting desperate. Mr Cabell and Mr Loyall have by letters to me expressed their approbation of the loan & that they will confirm it regularly at our april meeting. If you think proper to do the same, Genl Cocke and myself will authorise the engagement of the workmen and they will be satisfied to begin their work immediately and to provide materials for the library.1 The sooner you can conveniently give me your answer, the sooner the operations may be commenced. Accept my affectionate esteem & respect.
Th: Jefferson
RC (DLC: Madison Papers); in Virginia J. Randolph (Trist)’s hand, signed by TJ. RC (ViU: TJP); in Randolph (Trist)’s hand, signed by TJ; signature torn at seal. Dft (DLC); on portion of reused address cover to TJ; in TJ’s hand; endorsed by TJ as separate letters to “Madison James” and “Breckenridge Genl” and so recorded in SJL.
The uncertainty of the weather had already caused difficulties for TJ. In the postscript of a letter of 4 Feb. 1823 to Nicholas P. Trist from Monticello, Virginia J. Randolph (Trist) noted that “The late fresh in our river has carried away Grand-Papa’s mill dam which he had been employed about nearly the whole summer and fall. the season has been with us unusually mild; there has not been snow enough yet to fill Grand-Papa’s snowhouse, but incessant clouds & rain” (RC in DLC: NPT).
1. Preceding three words interlined in Dft.
Index Entries
- Breckinridge (Breckenridge), James; as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Breckinridge (Breckenridge), James; letters to search
- Cabell, Joseph Carrington; as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Cocke, John Hartwell (1780–1866); and University of Virginia construction search
- Cocke, John Hartwell (1780–1866); as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; amanuenses for search
- Literary Fund; and loans for University of Virginia search
- Loyall, George; as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); letters to search
- Monticello (TJ’s Albemarle Co. estate); icehouse at search
- Rivanna River; dams on search
- Rivanna River; water level of search
- roads; poor condition of search
- Shadwell mills; dam at search
- Trist, Nicholas Philip; correspondence with V. J. R. Trist search
- Trist, Virginia Jefferson Randolph (TJ’s granddaughter); as TJ’s amanuensis search
- Trist, Virginia Jefferson Randolph (TJ’s granddaughter); correspondence with N. P. Trist search
- Trist, Virginia Jefferson Randolph (TJ’s granddaughter); reports on weather search
- Virginia, University of; Board of Visitors; and loans for University of Virginia search
- Virginia, University of; Board of Visitors; meetings of search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; building materials for search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Rotunda (library) search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; workmen at search
- Virginia, University of; Establishment; and General Assembly search
- Virginia; General Assembly search
- weather; clouds search
- weather; effect on travel search
- weather; floods search
- weather; rain search
- weather; snow search